The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-12-27
A BIT OF HISTORY.
JackSon's Flank Movement at
Charlottesville.
WHO ORIGINATED THE STRATEGY.


EDITORS CONSTITUTION II was very much
interested in the account of the Last official inter
viewbetwean Lee and jackson, (which you published
this morning, written by Captain Carlton Mccarthy
in the Bichmo Id Critic
livery conclusiyely shows that the great flank
movement which resulted in the defeat of HCoker
originated with Lee and not las has been popularity
supposed with Jackson.
IN General A, L. Longs Life of Lee, he published
letter from the gallant and accomplished engineer
officer, Colonel 4. NJ. r. Talcot who by the way is
soon to become u citizen of Atlanta) in which he
gives the following deeply interesting account of
that historic interview Colonel Tacott says
"My recollectons of the night before tire battle of
Charlottesville are us followed.
about sunset G neral Jackson sent word TO Gen
the enemy We're In force at charlottesville. This
brought General Lee 10 the 'front.' and General Jack
son met him at the southeast angle of the Chan
ceorsville and Cathrenc Forge road.
General Lee asked General Jackson If he had
ascertaned the position and strength of the enemy
on our left, to which Gene al Jackson replied by
stating the result of an attack made by Stewarts
cavalry near Cathrene Forge about dusk The posi-
discussed, and Captain Boswell and myself were
sent to make u moonlight reconnaissance. the result
ofwlhch was reported about 10 p. m, and was not
favorable 10 an attack in front
AT this time GeneTG!s Lee and Jackson were to-
gether, and Lee who bad map before him,
nHT IN ~ snf fo% bee
Show me what 10 d, and | will do it, General
Lee looked thoughtfnlly atthe map; then indicated
on 1t and explained the movement he desired Gen
eral Jackson to make; and closed by saying: Gen
eIal Stuart will cover your movement with his cav;
airy General Jackson listened attentively and
his face lighted up with smile while General Lee
was speaking. Then rising and touching his cap,
Colonel Charles Marshall who was at the time
Lees military secretary, gives graphic and int
esting account of either the same interview or of
Colonel Talcott, and quote Colonel Marshalls ac-
count as gwen IN General Fitzhugh Lees superb
Northern Virginia association.
'Ahl what an earnest talk Lee and Jackson had
on the night of May lst At sunset they took their
seats on a log, on the right or north ride of the
plank road, and little distance In the woods
Colonel Marshall, theswell known adde-camp Of
General Lee was the only other person present
having been ordered 10 como to the spot for the
purpose Of writing letter to Mr.. Davis, dictated by
General Lee. Marshall sat onthe endrof a fallen
tree within three feet of the two gcnernls and
heard every word that passed between them, and
this is what he tells me Lee and Jackson talked
about on that evenful night. Jackson spoke to
General Lee about what he had seen and heard
during the advance, and commented upon the
prompness with which the enemy had appeared to
abandon his movement towards Fredericksburg
when opposed, and the case with which he
had been driven buck ito Charlottesville and
concluded by expressing the opinion very decidedly
and repeating II more than once, that the enemy
would recross the Rappahannoek before morning.
G S @ az tecu so1rS S s rua tne n
eral Lee expressed the hope that General Jacksons
expectations might be realized but said, that he
believe the enemy would abandon his attempts so
easily, and expressed the conviction that the main
body OF General lockers army was III his front,
and that the real move was TO DO made from this d.
rection, and not from Fredericksburg On this
point there was great difference oforinion among
our higher officers, and General Lee was the only
one who seemed to have the absolute conviction
that the real move of the federal army the one
he was meeting then.
In this belief he never wavered from the first.
After telling General Jackson that the hoped his
opinion might be proved to be correct General Lee
added: But, general, we must get ready 10 attack
the enemy, If we should find him here tomorrow,
and You must make all arrangements to move
DR.. Bic dsoe, who was then editor of the Southern
Ceyiew, had written to General Lee asking him the
Res whether 5he aSnf o6PN M
insclf, and In reply General Lee wrote the follow
ing letter, which settles the question beyond all
LEXINGTON, Va, October %, 1877 A. r.
BledSoc, Office Southern Review Bal
tlmore, .Md.---My Dear Sir: In reply 10
your inquiry, must acknowledge that have not
read the article ON Charlottesville In the last
number Of the Southern Review, nor have / read
auy of the books published on either eide since
the termination of hostiltes. have, as
yet, felt no desire 70 revive my recolections Of
those events, and have been satisfied with the
knowledge possessed of what TRANSFERRED. have,
however, learned from Others that the various
thors Of the life Of Jackson award 10 him the credit
Virginia where he was present and describe the
movements Of his corps or command as lndepend-
ent Of the general plan Of operations, ana under
II have the greatest reluctance to do anything
that might be considered detracting from his wen
deserved fame, for believe no ono was more con
WINGED Of bis worth or appreciated him more highly
than myself; yet your knowledge Of military Affairs,
II you have none Of the events themselves viii
teach you that this could not have been So Every
movement Of an army must be well considered and
properly ordered, and everyone who knew General
Jackson must know that he was too good soldier
to Violate this fundamental principle In the oper-
atiOns around Charlottesville ] overlook General
Jackson, who had been placed In command Of the
advance. the skirmshers Of the approaching
armies met advanced with the troops 10 the federal
line Of defences and was on the field until their
whole army rccrOssed the RgppahauOck.
"TEefe IS no question rs tOiwhO was responsible
fOa the operations OF the condolences, or 20 whom
any failure would have been charged.
"What have said Is for your own Information.
with my best wishes for the success Of the South
en Review, and for your own welfare in bOtn Of
which take lively interest, 81 am, with great
respect, your friend and servant, X. 4. LgE,'i
IL is due 20 the memory and fame Of Lee that the
facts given above should be brought out--that his
true character az a soldier should be clearly por-
traycd-and that the world should know that 80
far from being Sow aud cautiOus' las General
Grant said he wasl, he was not one whit behind
even "stonewalP Jackson In the boldness Of his
conceptions, and the rapidity Of
his execution, that President JEFF
ferson Davis was not wrong In his estimate when
he said: lee would attempt anything that man
And yet in this We would dishonor the memory Of